I'm Just Tired
by RainingStarWars
Summary: Luke isn't feeling well, and Han knows it.


It was an average morning on _Home One_. All the rebels wandered about before breakfast, tending to their duties or trying to get woken up before the day officially began. Han Solo was doing what he normally did whenever he had a moment of freedom from the rebellion: tinkering on the _Millennium Falcon_.

He and his co-pilot Chewbacca worked to do away with any difficulties the ship may have been facing. They also upgraded anything they felt could be upgraded, just to make their ship all the more fantastic. This was what the friends always did in their spare time, so nothing seemed out of place at all on that day. That is, until their friend Luke Skywalker came stumbling into the room.

Han looked up from the section of the _Falcon_ he had been working on and smiled his crooked smile. "Mornin', kid." he greeted his friend warmly. Luke smiled weakly as he approached the Corellian.

"H... Hey, Han." he waved, but he seemed less enthusiastic than usual. Han glanced back at his friend curiously, immediately recognizing the change in the blonde's attitude. As Luke came closer, Han realized what a dreadful appearance the younger man carried. His eyes had dark circles around them, and his skin had taken on a rather pale shade compared to it's normally fair tone. Luke appeared to walk slower than usual, as if his body ached whenever he moved. Not to mention the fact that it looked as if he hadn't even tried to do anything with his hair that morning.

These signs startled Han and immediately led him to feel overwhelming concern for the man whom he cared for as if he were a little brother. The burnette sat down the wrench he was currently holding and turned to Luke, staring at him with worry-filled eyes as he did so. "You okay, kid? You don't look so good." he asked with concern. Luke suddenly became aware of his appearance and stood taller, trying to make it seem as if he were feeling the same as always. He smiled again, but once more, it was forced and weak.

"I'm alright. I'm just tired, honestly." the young Jedi pressed his friend to believe it was true. Han, however, was not as easy to sway as Luke hoped. When it came to his friends, the smuggler was very serious about their well-being. Han pursed his lips in a way that showed he wasn't buying it. Luke recognized the man's suspicion and smiled again nervously. "Well, I think I'm going to head on for the cafeteria. See you." he then turned and began walking away; quickly at first, but then more slowly after only a few paces.

Han stared after him as he left, feeling the urge to call him back. The kid was clearly in pain, and that thought troubled the Corellian deeply. All of the sudden, Luke stopped dead in his tracks. He didn't turn around, he didn't say anything, he just stood there. Han raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Luke?" he asked, hoping to get some kind of response out of the younger man. Luke said nothing, but after another moment of silence, he suddenly let out what sounded like a high-pitched gasp before collapsing to the floor.

Han's eyes widened. "Luke!" he shouted, running over to his friend. When he reached Luke's side, Han collapsed to his knees and pulled the kid's head into his lap. Trying to find evidence of consciousness, he shook Luke roughly. "Luke, answer me! What's the matter?" Han pleaded for an answer. He then noticed that Luke was drenched in sweat and shivering.

"I-I..." Skywalker mumbled in a shaky voice. "I'm c-c-cold, H-Han." this worried Han even more. _Home One_ wasn't anywhere near cold. Plus, the kid was sweating. He wouldn't be sweating if he was freezing! Han pressed a hand gingerly on Luke's forehead, only to pull it away in shock a moment later. He was burning up with fever.

This was _not_ good.

"You're not okay, kid." Han confirmed, starting to stand. He carried Luke craddled in his arms like a sick child, which was close to right. Han turned and started rushing as quickly as he could towards the _Falcon_. Though Luke was rather light, it still was a strain to carry him. "Chewie, get some blankets!" Han called as he entered the main hold of the _Millennium Falcon_. He sat Luke down in an empty chair, making sure he was propped up comfortably.

Han heard Chewie roar to him questioningly from the other room, confused as to why he needed blankets. "Just get us some!" Han demanded in a frustrated tone. Chewie obeyed the smuggler, realizing that whatever was happening was serious.

After a few moments, the wookie came rushing into the room, his big arms full of blankets. He dropped them into Han's arms, who quickly spread them out over the shaking Luke Skywalker, who, if it was even possible, had paled even more. Chewbacca looked at the blonde curiously, walking over and examining him thoroughly. After a moment, he turned back to Han and shook his head.

Chewie stated that Luke would need to be taken to the Medcenter, seeing as how he likely had the flu. Han wasn't surprised by this, but he was rather relieved that it wasn't anything worse. He looked to his friend sadly, feeling great sympathy for the younger man. Han shook his head wearily. "Why didn't you just tell us you were sick, Luke?" he asked, sitting down in the chair beside Luke's. "You scared the hell outta me." Luke glanced to the side weakly and guiltily.

"I..." he croaked in a hoarse voice. "I didn't w-want anyone to w-w-worry about me." the young Jedi coughed harshly before shivering heavily again. Han frowned at him, but placed a comforting hand on his arm. Luke looked up at the Corellian, who gave him a stern look.

"Kid, you need to realize that nothin' can stop us from worryin' about you. You're our friend, and we're always gonna worry about you no matter what. Besides," Han gently punched Luke on the shoulder in a playful manner before smiling his same crooked grin. "I think I'd be much less concerned if I actually knew what was wrong with ya rather than sittin' here havin' to guess." Luke smiled slightly at his friend and nodded, but stopped and immediately began coughing harshly.

Han frowned again and placed a hand on Luke's forehead, once again feeling the heat of a high fever. "What hurts?" he asked simply. Luke shuddered and leaned back in the chair, pulling the blankets tight against his body.

"E-Everything..." he mumbled. "My throat's dry, m-my bones ache, I can b-b-barely b-breathe through my nose, and I'm st-still freezing." Chewie roared that Luke definately had the flu, and that they should get him to the Medcenter immediately. Han nodded at the wookie and turned back to Luke as he stood from his chair.

"Do you think you can walk?" he asked the blonde. Luke shrugged slightly and brushed the covers off, starting to stand.

"It think so." he said hoarsely, but the second he made it to his feet, Luke stumbled to the floor. Han was at his side just in time to catch him. The smuggler shook his head, going to lift the younger man up in his arms.

"I think not. Chewie," he turned to his co-pilot. "Go tell the Medcenter they got a patient comin'. I'll get the kid there." Chewie obeyed his friend, turning and rushing out of the _Falcon_. Han once again held Luke craddled like a sick child. With the kid not being able to walk hardly at all, that was basically what he was. A sick kid.

Han headed away from the _Falcon_ , carrying Luke gingerly. It was funny how Han felt like he was responsible for the younger man he held. It was almost as if Han himself was the big brother, and Luke was the little brother. Yes, they were like brothers. The strangest brothers anyone had ever met, but that's how it was.

Han smiled at the thought, but then he remembered the young Jedi shivering in his arms, which led him to speed up his pace. After a few minutes, they finally reached the Medcenter. Han handed Luke over to a medical droid, who then laid him on a stretcher. "We think he has the flu." Han explained as Chewie came and stood next to him. The medical droid nodded and spoke in a mechanical, monotone sort of way.

"Thank you, Captain Solo. We shall see that the patient is well taken care of." the droid confirmed, turning and wheeling Luke away. Han watched as they left, a nervous glint in his hazel eyes. Chewie placed a hand on Han's shoulder and growled comfortingly, making the burnette smile slightly. He looked up at his much taller wookie companion and patted him on the back.

"I think he'll be alright, Chewie." Han assured mostly himself, and Chewie grunted in agreement.

The two friends sat around the Medcenter all day, waiting to see how Luke was recovering. Eventually, Princess Leia arrived with C-3PO and R2-D2 to check up on her ill brother. When she entered the room, Han smiled and walked over to her.

"Hey there, sweetheart." he greeted. Leia smiled as Han kissed her softly on the lips. Afterwards, he wrapped his arm gently over the princess's shoulders and smiled that handsome smile. "I think he's doin' better. We haven't heard much, but he's gettin' there." Han felt Leia's shoulders relax under his embrace, which made him feel better as well.

Near the door, 3PO turned to face R2. "Oh, I do hope Master Luke is alright. It would be a shame if he got any worse." he spoke nervously. R2 ushered a set of reassuring beeps and whistles, comforting the gold human-like droid. Han wished he could have understood what the little droid was saying, because he sure as hell could go for some comfort right then.

Just as anxiety began to return to the Corellian, the same silver droid who had taken Luke away earlier came gliding back into the room. "The patient is stable now. You may visit him in his room." it said in it's mechanical voice. Han could have hugged the droid, but he thought better of it as he, Chewbacca, Leia, C-3PO, and R2-D2 rushed towards their friend's room.

When they entered the room, they saw Luke laying under the warmth of several blankets in the Medcenter bed. His blue eyes shined more brightly now, and the dark circles that had surrounded them earlier had faded a little. His skin had also lessened of the pale color and returned to something closer to his regular fair skin tone.

The sight of the young Jedi's improvement made Han's eyes light up with joy. The others were clearly happy as well. Leia rushed over and placed a kiss on her sibling's forehead, and Chewie ruffled the man's hair like a proud uncle. R2 whistled happily as 3PO threw a fit over Luke being alright. Han walked over and smiled a very real and toothy grin at his friend.

"How ya feelin', kid?" he asked, placing a hand on Luke's shoulder. The blonde smiled up at the burnette. Luke seemed stronger now, though he still appeared rather weak.

"Better than what I was." he confirmed, making Han smile. Leia wrapped her arms around her brother and hugged him tightly. She was clearly overjoyed that he was doing well.

"We're all so happy that you're alright." Leia whispered, holding Luke close. Luke smiled, realizing how concerned his friends had been for him. He then glanced over to Han, who was watching with a relieved look. Luke then realized he owed him one for helping him get to the Medcenter.

"Hey Han." Han raised his eyebrows. "Thanks for helping me out earlier. I owe you one." the Correlian grinned and shook his head.

"You don't owe me a thing. It was nothin'."


End file.
